SystemParametersInfo set wallpaper issues

This is a discussion on SystemParametersInfo set wallpaper issues within the Windows Programming forums, part of the Platform Specific Boards category; The third parameter of SystemParametersInfo is supposed to be a null terminated string containing the path to a file to ...

Even stranger when I try calling and outputting SystemParametersInfo with SPI_GETDESKWALLPAPER I get a jumbled string that looks something like 78BB5654 (so it's random looking but it's the same every time).

Notice the double back slashes in the file path. The SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE is used to update the stored setting.

Nope still getting file not found. I even moved the file to drive C:\ to see if Windows had problems with taking the file from a flash drive. I even created a shortcut to the picture file and used the target of the shortcut to make sure I had the path right. Still file not found.

Try ignoring the path altogether, just list the bmp name itself and place both the program and the image inside the same directory.

Still file not found. Now there's even more strangeness. Using "" as the path is now returning ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND (error code 2) and isn't going to a null background immediately. I have to update the background by dragging a window over the entire thing.